Post by wannabe12 on Dec 24, 2018 10:59:38 GMT -5
Recently on Facebook it has been brought up again that Governor Mabry may have been part of the conspiracy against Brushy because of his connection to author Walter Noble Burns through marriage. What i've been able to find so far about Burns, Mabry and Katherine Burns Mabry is this. W N Burns was born in Kentucky in 1866, Father Col. Thomas Edgar Burns, Brother to Enoch Burns, who was the Father of Katherine Burns Mabry, she was born in Kansas in 1886. Both Enoch and Thomas fought for the Union during the Civil War. Enoch passed in 1897 leaving Sarah his wife, and their children. By 1900 Sarah is showing living in Missouri along with Josephine 16, Katherine 13, and Enoch 8. By 1910 Sarah along with Katherine has made her way to Clovis,NM, where Katherine is listed as a Teacher.
Thomas Mabry at this time is still shown married to his his first wife Winifred (White) Burns, who passed in 1912. I have not found a marriage date for Katherine and Thomas, so they married sometime between this date and the 1920 census. In 1910, Thomas is listed as working for Newspaper as Editor in Clovis,NM. By 1920 he is a lawyer, in private practice. Which is his occupation until sometime in the mid to late 1930's when he became a Judge. Eventually rising to be Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court (1939-1946) becoming Governor from 1947-1951.
Walter Noble Burns in 1910 was listed as "tramp" living in Marion,Illinois, at 33 years of age. In 1910 Burns is in Chicago at 43, working as an Editor in the Newspaper industry. In 1920, he is listed as an advertiser, in the advertising industry, at age 52. By the 1930 census he is listed as an Author, still living in Chicago where he had live for some 30+ years til his death in 1932.
It seems that if Katherine was 20 years younger than Walter, living a good distance apart most of their lives, that they likely never were close, even though they were first cousins. The Burns Family was very large, Thomas and Enoch had many Brothers and Sisters that moved about, not staying together. Sarah moved her family in the opposite direction of W N Burns, where they stayed seperated til his death in 1932. Now, to satisfy the gap in Census records. Yes it is possible they met at different times between recordings, but that seems somewhat unlikely. Mabry working and living in New Mexico, both as a newspaperman, and Politician would have been well versed in Billy The Kid lore without W N Burns writing a book. Mabry becoming Governor 15 years after Burns' death, makes it unlikely he had any need to feel like he should protect the family name in denying Brushy's application for pardon. In his book Burns makes no mention of his cousin Katherine or Mabry, only his wife,who the book is dedicated to. Is it possible that W N met with his cousin while in NM, yes, but at that time (1925-26)Billy the Kid was a forgotten legend that many people had no interest in anymore, even in 1950 when Brushy came forward, Billy was still just a legend nothing more. Mabry had no vested interest as Governor to protect Burns or his book.
Thomas Mabry at this time is still shown married to his his first wife Winifred (White) Burns, who passed in 1912. I have not found a marriage date for Katherine and Thomas, so they married sometime between this date and the 1920 census. In 1910, Thomas is listed as working for Newspaper as Editor in Clovis,NM. By 1920 he is a lawyer, in private practice. Which is his occupation until sometime in the mid to late 1930's when he became a Judge. Eventually rising to be Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court (1939-1946) becoming Governor from 1947-1951.
Walter Noble Burns in 1910 was listed as "tramp" living in Marion,Illinois, at 33 years of age. In 1910 Burns is in Chicago at 43, working as an Editor in the Newspaper industry. In 1920, he is listed as an advertiser, in the advertising industry, at age 52. By the 1930 census he is listed as an Author, still living in Chicago where he had live for some 30+ years til his death in 1932.
It seems that if Katherine was 20 years younger than Walter, living a good distance apart most of their lives, that they likely never were close, even though they were first cousins. The Burns Family was very large, Thomas and Enoch had many Brothers and Sisters that moved about, not staying together. Sarah moved her family in the opposite direction of W N Burns, where they stayed seperated til his death in 1932. Now, to satisfy the gap in Census records. Yes it is possible they met at different times between recordings, but that seems somewhat unlikely. Mabry working and living in New Mexico, both as a newspaperman, and Politician would have been well versed in Billy The Kid lore without W N Burns writing a book. Mabry becoming Governor 15 years after Burns' death, makes it unlikely he had any need to feel like he should protect the family name in denying Brushy's application for pardon. In his book Burns makes no mention of his cousin Katherine or Mabry, only his wife,who the book is dedicated to. Is it possible that W N met with his cousin while in NM, yes, but at that time (1925-26)Billy the Kid was a forgotten legend that many people had no interest in anymore, even in 1950 when Brushy came forward, Billy was still just a legend nothing more. Mabry had no vested interest as Governor to protect Burns or his book.